J heberling



June 5, 1923.

J.HEBERUNG BELT BUCKLE Filed March 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. 5 7 7 W ATTORNEYS.

June 5, 1923.

J. HEBERLJNG BELT BUCKLE Filed March 1. 1922 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

, ATTORNEYS.

Patented June 5, 1923.

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JOHN Hnnnnnme, or nocnns'rnn, new YORK, nssrcnon T Hickok MFG. 09 m, INC., on nocnns'rnn, NEW YORK, A .eonronn'rron on NEW YORK.

BELT BUCKLE.

Application filed March 1, 1922. Serial No. 540,301.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I JOHN Hana-Rune, a

citizen of the United states, and resident of Rochester, in the county of Monroe and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Belt Buckles, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention relates to bucklesto provide an improved clamping means on a belt buckle which will automatically adapt itself to belts of different thicknesses. Stillanother object of the invention is to provide a belt buckle having a swinging clamping device, to which one end of the belt is secured, shiftable relatively to the clamping surface in order to accommodate belts of different thicknesses. Another object of the invention is to provide an improve-d means of slidably mounting a clamping means on a buckle frame.

To these vand other ends, the invention consists of certain parts and combinations of parts, allof which will be hereinafter described: the novel features being pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a belt buckle constructed in accordance with this invention, with portions of a belt secured thereto;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged vertical section through the belt buckle shown in Fig. 1

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing the belt buckle adjusted to permit the release of the beltv end;

Fig. 4 is a section on'the line l -41 Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a rear View of the belt buckle 'Fig. 6 is a detail view of the clamping means;

Fig. 7 is a side view of another embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged longitudinal section through the embodiment shown in Flg. 6, showin the buckle adjusted to clamp the belt end;

Fig. 9 is a View similar to Flg. 8 w1th the belt disconnected from the buckle;

Fig. 8

Fig. 10 is a section onthe line -1O;110,

I p Fig. 11 is a view of the rear side of the buckle; and v Fig. 12 is a view of the clamping means removed from the buckle frame. In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 6 inclusive, the belt buckle comprises a frame formed by afront plate or member 1, which is curved in the direction of its length and also transversely ofsaid length. This front plate has side flanges 2 arranged substantially in paralleled relation on the rear or concave face of the front plate and on these side flanges inwardly turned flanges 3 are provided to act as guides for a clamping means.

The clamping means, in this instancefis in the form of a frame or slide a guided on the inwardly turned flanges 23 preferably by making the frame or slide 4 of two parts connected together by rivets 5 between their side edges and spaced apart at their side edges at 6 to providegroovesin the frame in which the flanges 3 are received. The grooves are preferably of such a width that friction is produced on the guidejfianges so that the slide does not move freely but will move; under pull or pressure thereon. The clamping slide or frame 4: may carry a clamping device, which, in this instance, is in the form of a rocking or swinging member 7 secured to the clamping slide preferably through a pivot pin 8 which,

at opposite ends, is secured 'in' flanges 9 turned in parallel relation within the sides 2 of the buckle frame and cooperating with the inner faces of said sides. The clam 'ing member has a clamping surface 1.0 w ich, in this instance, is in the form of three ribs or teeth extending transversely ofthe buckle frame and curved longitudinally, to conform to the transverse 'curve'of the front plate 1, these ribs being situated at different distances from the center of turning of the clamping member 7, so that as the member -7 turns to clamp a belt end 11, the'rib nearest to the center will first engage the belt end, then, successively, the others. The rear face of the front plate 1, near one'end thereof, acts as an opposed clampingsunface tothe clamping device 7 and this sunface end, itwill be noted, is at an angle to the guide flange 3, the engagement between the ribbed surface of the clamping member 7 and the belt end 11 taking place to one side of the axis of turning of the clamping device so that, when the clamping devlce swings into engagement with the belt end 11, the tendency is for the clamping device to effect the shifting of the slide 4 on the guide 3 to such point that proper engagement between the belt end 11 and the clamping device is established. Furthermore, the axis of the clamping mem ber is between the clamping surface and the guide flanges so that the clamp when clamping a belt will increase the friction on the gulde flanges and tend to hold the slide in its adjusted position.

In order to assist this sliding of the clamping slide 4 on the guides 3, the belt end 12 is connected to the clamping means and preferably to the clamping device 7, this result being secured by providing an anchoring means on the clamping device 7 in the form of a loop 13 about which the strap 12 is passed.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 12, the buckle frame embodies a front plate 1*, curved longitudinally and transversely and having parallel side flanges 2 which preferably have inwardly extending flanges 3- at their rear edges. One end 4 of the belt is anchored to the buckle frame preferably by providing an anchoring member 5 in this instance, in the form of a loop through which the belt end 4 passes. This anchoring member is detachably connected to the buckle frame and this detachable connection is effected preferably by providing on the anchoring member pintles or bearings 6* on opposite sides thereof, said pintles extending in 0pposite directions and having, in this instance, a distance between their outer ends substantially equal to the width of the belt. The buckle frame has laterally open bearings 7 formed by extending the flanges 3 each at one end and bending the extensions so as to overlie the flanges and providing at the bend the laterally opening bearings for the pintle 6 In this way should the anchoring member move forwardly upon the loosening of the belt, the pintles will be guided by the flanges 3 toward the laterally opening bearings, when tension is again put on the belt. To disconnect the anchoring member from the belt buckle frame, the anchoring member is tilted sidewise in the manner indicated in Fig. 11, when it may be withdrawn from the sides of the flanges 3 clamping surface formed by the curved inner face of the front plate 1. The clamping means, in this instance, embodies a slide formed by two plates 8 and 9 secured together by rivets 10 near their central por carries the clamping device which, in this instance, is in the form of a clamping member pivoted on a pin 12 which at its ends is secured in flanges 13 projected from opposite sides of the slide plate 8 to cooperate with the inner faces of the side flanges 2 of the buckle. a portion 14 formed with two teeth 15 and 16, one of which is nearer to the axis of rotation than the other, these teeth being positioned in opposed relation to the inner face of the front plate 1 so as to clamp the beltend 17 against such inner face. Movement of the clamping member 14 may be effected through a lever arm 18, w When the clamping member is in clamping position, lies in a depression 19 formed in the slide between the inwardly extending flanges 3, so as not to project from the rear face of the buckle.

In the use of the buckle, the belt is adjusted at the end 17, so as to fit the wearer, this adjustment being effected by shifting the slide on the guide flanges 3 until the clamping member is positioned with reference to the inner face of the front plate 1 to clamp the belt end 17, this adjustment of the slide varying with belts of different thicknesses as the guiding means orflanges 3 for the clamping means is at a slight angle to the clamping surface of the rear face formed by one end of the curved front plate, it being apparent that for a thin belt the slide is moved toward said curved end, and for a The clamping member has ich, I

thick belt the slide is moved farther from said curved end. After the slide has been adjusted approximately to the final position and preferably slightlynearer to the curved end than the thickness of the belt requires, the pivoted clamping member 14 is shifted and the position of the pivot 12 is such that the shifting of the clamping lever 18 will make the slide automatically shift on the guides 3 to a position where the clamping member 14 will effectively secure the belt end 17 to correspond to the thickness of the latter. After this adjustment has been once made, it will be unnecessary to again effect the connection and disconnection between the buckle and the belt end 17 in order to remove or fit the belt to the wearer, as the belt may be removed or fitted by moving the anchoring member 5 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 11.

From the foregoing it will be seen that there has been provided a belt buckle in which the side flanges are provided with inwardly turned flanges on which the clamping means is adjustable to cooperate with the inner face of the front plate for clamping belts of different thicknesses. The clamping means is in the form of a slide with a movable clampling device thereon automatically adjusting itself on the frame to accommodate belts of different thicknesses. The movable clamping device is in the form of a rocking or swinging member and a belt anchoring means is secured to the clamping means, so that it acts in opposition to the tendency of the clamping means to move away from the clamping position. The slide provides a means by which the turning axis of the pivoted clamp may shift relatively to the clamping surface on the buckle frame.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A belt buckle comprising a curved front plate, side flanges and guiding flanges on the side flanges, a slide movable on said guiding flanges, and a clamping device movable on said slide to cooperate with the rear face of the front plate for clamping one end of a belt.

2. A belt buckle comprising a front plate, side flanges, guiding means on the side flanges extending longitudinally of the flanges at an angle to a portion of the rear face of the front plate, a slide movable on the guiding means toward and from said portion of the rear face of the front plate, a clamping device movable on the slide to cooperate with the rear face of the front plate, and anchoring means for the other end of the belt connected with said clamping device.

3. A belt buckle comprising a front plate, side flanges on the front plate, a member held against rocking on but slidable onthe side flanges, a clamping device pivotally mounted on said member to cooperate with the rear face of thefront plate to clamp a belt end, and a loop connected with said pivotally mounted clamping device for securing the 7 other end of the belt.

4. A belt buckle comprising a curved front plate, side flanges on said front plate, inwardly turned flanges on the side flanges, a slide movable on the inwardly turned flanges, a clamping device pivotally mounted on the slide, and an anchoring loop for a belt end secured to said pivotally mounted clamping device.

5. A belt buckle comprising a curved front plate, side flanges on the front plate, inwardly turned flanges on the side flanges, a slide movable on said inwardly turned flanges and having flanges extending inwardly and cooperating with the inner faces of the side flanges, and a clamping device nliogably mounted on the side flanges of the s 1 e.

6. A belt buckle comprising a frame having a clamping surface, guides on said frame on an angle to said clamping surface, a slide movable on the guides and a pivotally mounted clamping device mounted on the slide to cooperate with the clamping surface.

JOHN HEBERLING. 

